“Who wears the pants?” is not a question of
fashion, but a question of power. In the Western world, who
literally wears pants is no longer a large concern, although
historically it was. But what the question does reveals is that on
some level, pants still symbolize power, whether in a romantic
relationship or professional atmosphere. Understanding a bit about
the history of pants, the changing lines and styles, and who wore
what, when, where, and why can shed some light onto why this is.

In
America and elsewhere, pants and trousers can be used
interchangeably as an umbrella term for a bifurcated garment worn on
the lower half of the body. However, in Britain, pants are
synonymous with underwear and the proper word is trousers.
Sartorially, the difference between pant types lies in the fit:
trousers fall just off the bottom, slacks taper in at the bottom
leaving just a bit of a curve, and jeans--made specifically from
denim--are the tightest fit of all, giving more leeway at the waist
than the crotch.

Trousers
first became common in the western world in Medieval Europe, worn by
men under tunics. These were also called hose (think pantyhose) or
stockings. Breeches, which fall to the knees, then came into
popularity around the 16th century. Originally these were worn in a
tight fit by the French aristocracy, but by the 19th century,
dandies (in short--Victorian metrosexuals) such as Beau Brummell and
Oscar Wilde sported loose, newly fashionable breeches.

Because the industrial revolution brought on a
dramatic increase in the rate of production, there was a variety of
pants and pant trends in the 19th century. If loose-fitting breeches
were the look of wealthy British dandies, blue jeans were the look
of the working class, such as railway men and miners. Early jean
brands are Levi’s (which was founded in 1872) and Lee, and the blue
jean has become symbolic of the American cowboy.

Also in the 19th century a minority of women began
wearing bloomers. This was more than a fashion statement, but a form
of protest related to the dress reform movement (which sought to
make women’s clothing more comfortable, free of movement, and
healthy) and the suffrage movement (the fight for women’s right to
vote). Bloomers were billowing pants tapered at the ankle,
originally to be worn beneath a skirt. However, the suffragettes
wore bloomers without a skirt, and scandalized many in doing so. By
the end of the century, bloomers were acceptable to wear for
athletic activities such as bicycling.

In the 1920s, French fashion designer Coco
Chanel, who is considered one of the founders of modernist fashion,
changed women’s clothing forever with forward-thinking looks
inspired by men’s wear, including trousers for women. Unlike the
bloomers, which were worn as an expression of a political
counterculture, Chanel’s clothing was high fashion and worn by the
wealthiest. In the Western world today, women wear pants as often if
not more than skirts. According to Wikipedia, this may be due to
“the passage of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, which
made public education treat males and females equally and in turn
dresses could not be required of female students and dress codes
changed in public schools across the United States.”[1]

Since the suffragettes, different pants have been
used as an expression of subculture and rebellion in a variety of
ways. In the 1930s and 1940s Zoot suits--high-waisted slouchy pants
cuffed at the ankle paired with long, loose coats--directly opposed
the contemporary fitted style. Zoot suits were mostly worn by
Mexican, Italian, and African American men and were associated with
the Harlem Jazz scene. In the early 1950s working class British
teenage rebels known as Teddy Boys re-imagined the looks of wealthy
Edwardian dandies. Also in the 1950s jeans--which had previously
been worn only by the working class--became a popular fashion trend
of teenagers of all socio-economic classes and has remained an
important piece in every wardrobe since. The 1970s changed the shape
of the jean from one that falls straight or tapers at the ankle to
bell bottoms. The bell bottom then became associated with the hippie
counterculture. Hip-hop artist MC Hammer popularized harem pants in
the 1980s, which are similar in shape to bloomers, but take their
cue from arabic and persian styles. The reemergence of skinny jeans
in the early 2000s (especially as worn by males) was ridiculed by
conservative dressers, has now become the norm.

Due to
their history pants can be seen to symbolize masculinity and power.
Women wearing pants had once meant that they were literally fighting
for women’s rights or taking on jobs that had once been dominated by
men (as during WWII). Putting on pants then became symbolic of
asserting power. Now, however, just as much can be done in skirt.

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